At the May UC Board of Regents meeting, the regents discussed raising UC tuition by 32 percent beginning in Winter 2012 if an all-cuts budget is passed.
If Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposed tax extensions do not pass, the UC budget cuts will double from the $500 million cut already signed into law.
If UC tuition were raised by 32 percent, UC Davis fees would be roughly $17,303 per year, compared to the 2010-11 fees of $13,079.91.
This tuition raise was among other long-term financial plans that the regents looked at Wednesday, pending an all-cuts budget.
The regents discussed charging different tuitions at each UC campus in order to fight the budget cuts. However, this controversial idea had some regents worried that varying tuitions would create inequality amongst the different UC campuses.
At the Tuesday meeting, UC President Mark Yudof acknowledged that the regents have difficult decisions to make regarding the UC system.
“The UC has already been asked to absorb a variety of deep cuts over the last three years,” Yudof said. “And we have strived to maintain our bar-setting quality while also instituting a magnitude of lay-offs, furloughs, hiring freezes and numerous other efficiencies to accommodate those cuts. As a result, in the face of deeper disinvestment, our options are few. And this makes for very hard choices.”
Regents were also updated on Brown’s May Budget Revise.
Regent Monica Lozano said that it was difficult for chancellors to make decisions during this time of instability of funding from the state.
“The lack of predictability and the lack of stability is not good for the students, it’s not good for the families and it’s certainly not good for the chancellors who are trying to look ahead,” she said, as reported by The Sacramento Bee.
Amongst intense budget discussion, regents also named Dorothy Leland the new chancellor of UC Merced.
“The opportunity to help build on the accomplishments of UC Merced’s faculty, students and staff is an honor and tremendous thrill,” Leland said in a statement. “The university’s vibrancy and commitment to research excellence, coupled with the chance to get back to California, make this appointment all the more exciting for me.”
Leland will be UC Merced’s third chancellor and is set to begin her chancellorship July 1. She will receive $310,000 per year.
The regents also made an effort to discuss increasing financial aid for those who cannot afford to attend the UCs. Financial aid ceilings could be raised in order to aid more students. In one proposal, the financial aid that is provided to families that make up to $70,000 a year could be extended to families who make up to $80,000 a year.
Yudof highlighted the importance of providing students with the best possible education and placed responsibility on the state of California to help the UC system.
“So, California now has two choices. It can throw in the towel and say the UC had a good 143-year run. Or it can fund the university that made it what it is,” Yudof said. “The right choice, to me, is clear.”
HANNAH STRUMWASSER can be reached at campus@theaggie.org.
University of California Berkeley Chancellor Birgeneau ($500,000 salary) has forgotten that he is a public servant, steward of the public
money, not overseer of his own fiefdom (these are not isolated examples):
recruits (uses California tax $) out of state $50,000 tuition
students that displace qualified Californians from public university
education; spends $7,000,000 + for consultants to do his & vice
chancellors work (prominent East Coast university accomplishing
same 0 cost); pays ex Michigan governor $300,000 for lectures; in
procuring $3,000,000 consultants he failed to receive proposals
from other firms; Latino enrollment drops while out of state jumps
2010; tuition to Return on Investment drops below top10; NCAA
places basketball program on probation: absence institutional control.
It’s all shameful. There is no justification for such practices by a steward of the public trust. Absolutely none.
Birgeneau’s practices will not change. UC Board of Regents Chair Sherry Lansing must do a better job of vigorously enforcing oversight by President Yudof than has been done in the past over Chancellors who, like Birgeneau, treat the university as their fiefdom.
Until demonstrable action is swiftly applied to Chancellors by the Board of Regents/President Yudof, the University of California shouldn’t come to the Governor or public for support for any taxes.
I have 35 years’ consulting experience, have taught at UC Berkeley, where I observed the culture and the way senior management worked. No, I was not fired or downsized.
University of California faculty and UCOP can fix deficit. Californians face foreclosure, unemployment, depressed wages and higher taxes: it’s time the Governor, UC Board of Regents, President Yudof showed leadership by curbing costs, particularly wages, benefits. As a Californian, I don’t care what others earn at private, public universities. If wages better elsewhere, chancellors, vice chancellors, tenured, non tenured faculty, UCOP should apply for the positions. If wages commit employees to UC, leave for better paying position. The sky above UC will not fall.
California suffers from the greatest deficit modern times. UC wages, benefits must reflect California’s ability to pay, not what others paid elsewhere. Campus chancellors, vice chancellors, tenured & non-tenured faculty, UCOP are replaceable by the more talented.
UC eases pressure for additional taxes:
No furloughs
18 percent reduction in UCOP salaries & $50 million cut.
18 percent prune of campus chancellors’, vice chancellors’ salaries.
15 percent trim of tenured faculty salaries, increased teaching load
10 percent decrease in non-tenured faculty salaries, as well as increase research, teaching load
100% elimination of all Academic Senate, Academic Council costs, wages.
Rose bushes bloom after pruning.
The Governor, UC Board of Regents, whining President can bridge the trust gap to public by offering reassurances that salaries reflect depressed wages in California. The sky above UC will not fall.
Californians are reasonable people. Levy no new taxes until an approved balanced budget: let the Governor/Legislature lead; make the tough-minded (not cold hearted) decisions of elected leadership. Afterwards come to public for continuing, specified taxes.
Thanking you in advance for advocating for all Californians, University of California